NBC Takes Early Lead In Donald Trump’s Afghanistan Address Ratings Derby – Update
UPDATE, 9:22 AM: NBC logged 6.184 million viewers in the 9:30 PM ET half hour Monday night when President Donald Trump delivered his address about Afghanistan, putting it well ahead of ABC’s 4.719, CBS’s 4.142M and Fox Broadcast’s 2.456M.
But, as even NBC noted, Trump’s address aired live across the country on those four networks, as well as cable news, from 9-9:30 PM ET. Data adjusted to the live broadcast will be released later today.
With adjustments expected once the final numbers come in later today, NBC and ABC are currently matched for the night with a 1.2/5 rating among adults 18-49. The Comcast-owned net is number #1 in viewers with 5.23 million.
Among regularly scheduled programming before Trump’s 9 PM ET speech, NBC’s American Ninja Warrior (1.4/6) and FOX’s So You Think You Can Dance (0.7/3) were the same as last week. In the second week of its new season, ABC’s Bachelor in Paradise (1.4/5) is down a tenth from the fast affiliates of its two-hour August 14 debut. The NBC, FOX and ABC series all picked up after Trump’s speech with ratings results that were understandably scrambled
Also post-Trump, at 10: 30 PM last night’s Midnight, Texas (0.6/3) was down 25% in the key deom from last week’s 10 PM airing of the NBC newbie.
PREVIOUSLY, 7:32 AM: NBC has the early edge on audience size for President Donald Trump’s address to the nation about how he plans to tackle the country’s war in Afghanistan. In metered markets, NBC tops other broadcasters with a 3.8/6 household rating from 9-9:30 PM ET, edging out ABC’s 3.2/5. CBS followed with a 2.8/5, followed by Fox Broadcast’s 1.8/3.
American strategy in Afghanistan and South Asia will change dramatically, Trump vowed in his first major policy address to the nation since his address to the joint session of Congress in February. His strategy to move the country forward in its longest war marks a shift from a time-based approach to one based on conditions. He blasted as “counterproductive” previous administrations’ love of announcing in advance the dates it intended to begin, and/or end, military operations.
Many laps to go in this POTUS ratings horse race, including more accurate broadcast numbers and cable news net stats.
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